Dunsfold Park

Stephen Whale represented the owner of Dunsfold Aerodrome in Surrey in an appeal concerning flights during the Olympics. The local planning authority, Waverley Borough Council, has for a long time adopted the position that the Aerodrome is precluded by a planning condition from operating any flights at all on Sundays. On 17 February 2012, encouraged by a range of Parish Councils and very many local residents, its Planning Committee refused to allow any Sunday flights even for the period of the Olympics. Dunsfold Park Ltd appealed. The Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State concluded that the Olympics are a World event of exceptional national sporting and economic importance, and that the local planning authority had disregarded the substantial predicted short-term job creation, the extra business to be generated and the longer-term spin-off benefit for the area and the wider economy. The Inspector has permitted the Aerodrome to operate flights during every day of the Olympics, including on Sundays, from 0700 to 2100. He endorsed the continuing application of the Air Transport White Paper (2003) and the accepted methodologies for aircraft noise measurement and mapping (with 57 dBA Leq 16hr as marking the approximate onset of significant community annoyance). Click here for the decision